Friday, December 17, 2010

AKA Jessica Jones

By Paul Steven Brown

According to Variety, Marvel Television and ABC Studios is developing a television series based on former superhero turned detective Jessica Jones. It's slated for fall of 2011 for the big three network with Melissa Rosenberg as the head writer and executive producer. The source material will be the Marvel MAX comic book series that ran for about three years during the early half of the last decade called Alias, which was written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Michael Gaydos. Since there has already been a television series on ABC with that name, the title change to 'AKA Jessica Jones' is understandable.
Rosenberg is best know for scripting the Twilight movies. I have never seen them so I cannot personally pass judgement on her work. However, she did work on 'Dexter' and 'Love Monkey' which are/were highly regarded in some circles. Plus, she has apparently stated that she was drawn to Jessica Jones because "unlike most female leading roles on network TV: deeply flawed but with a biting sense of humor." In other words, she gets Jessica Jones and that the show should be about the "who" and not the "what".

Jessica was a superhero that decided to quit after an especially traumatic event. The comic book series was about the cases she took on as a private detective, which usually had her still getting mixed up in superhero affairs. While she was still super-strong and could fly, Jessica rarely used her powers and relied mainly on her own gut and smarts.

Now for the fun part: who should they get to play Jessica Jones?

My pick: Sonya Walger.

First of all, she's got some sci-fi cred having had recurring or regular roles on 'Lost', 'FlashForward', and 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'. Second, she already has a working relationship with ABC Studios, the company that produced 'Lost' and 'FlashForward'. Third, she's good looking, but has some wonderfully tired eyes that would be perfect for someone that just couldn't take being a superhero anymore. And last, but most important of all, she's a pretty darn good actress. Check out her two brief, but extremely effective appearances on this season's 'In Treatment' if her other work hasn't convinced you.